Erewash ‘one huge car park’

Erewash MP Maggie Throup used her maid speech in Parliament to press the Chancellor on road funding – warning that Erewash could become “one huge car park” without more investment.

Maggie, the new Conservative Member of Parliament, delivered her maiden speech in the House of Commons on Monday during a budget debate on local growth.

She told Parliament of the problems faced by Ilkeston, Long Eaton and Sandiacre due to traffic gridlock, which is made worse by the proximity to the M1.

Speaking in the debate, Maggie said: “This is bad for business and bad for Erewash. As the result of a proposed brownfield development of 2,000 houses and industrial units on the site of an old ironworks, thousands more cars will need to use our already heavily congested roads.

“I believe that without proper planning, Erewash will become just one huge car park.”

Maggie said she welcomed the announcement in the Budget to create a new roads fund, and said she would be knocking on the door of Chancellor George Osborne to “get my fair share for Erewash”.

Maggie also told Parliament about the history of the constituency and spoke passionately about its heritage.

“Erewash is the land of opportunity and aspiration,” said Maggie.

“We make practically anything that Members care to name, from textiles, pharmaceuticals and cosmetics to furniture, drainage pipes and even beer.

“In addition to supplying some of this country’s biggest names – including Rolls-Royce, Boots and John Lewis – Erewash is truly a global brand.”

She added: “We have even managed to design and manufacture our own unique dialect, helpfully recorded in the book “Ey Up Mi Duck!”, a copy of which is available to Members in my office.”